Desired Future Conditions

Desired future conditions are defined in Title 31, Part 10, §356.10 (6) of the Texas Administrative Code as "the desired, quantified condition of groundwater resources (such as water levels, spring flows, or volumes) within a management area at one or more specified future times as defined by participating groundwater conservation districts within a groundwater management area as part of the joint planning process." The specified time extends through at least the period that includes the current planning period for the development of regional water plans pursuant to §16.053, Texas Water Code, or in perpetuity, as defined by participating groundwater conservation districts within a groundwater management area as part of the joint planning process. Desired future conditions have to be physically possible, individually and collectively, if different desired future conditions are stated for different geographic areas overlying an aquifer or subdivision of an aquifer.

The following documents provide information on desired future conditions. Groundwater management area submittals of desired future conditions are listed in the table below.

For modeled available groundwater reports, please visit the individual groundwater management area pages on the right side bar.

For information on petitions appealing the reasonableness of a desired future condition, see the information below.

Information for groundwater management areas on how the TWDB will calculate total estimated recoverable storage, designation of relevant and non-relevant aquifers, and how the DFC statements should be expressed.

A paper presented at the State Bar of Texas 'The Changing Face of Water Rights in Texas' conference held in Bastrop, May 8-9, 2008. This paper discusses groundwater management areas, desired future conditions, and the role of managed available groundwater.

The majority of groundwater management areas have small areas, or slivers, of aquifers that exist within their boundaries. Because of their size these slivers may not currently be used either as a supply that is permitted by a groundwater district or have exempt wells withdrawing groundwater. The purpose of this paper is to identify these areas and to recommend how groundwater conservation districts in groundwater management areas may consider desired future conditions in these areas.

An analysis report on the impacts of House Bill 1763 on groundwater management practices in the State of Texas. Includes discussion of practices prior to bill, changes in practices created by the bill, an introduction into what the desired future condition of an aquifer is, and a description of how to translate a Desired Future Condition into managed available groundwater.

Appeal of Desired Future Conditions

For desired future conditions adopted after September 1, 2015, state law changed so that an affected person may file a petition with a groundwater conservation district.

Petition Documents

The following is a list of groundwater management areas whose desired future conditions were challenged on the basis of reasonableness during the 2010 joint planning process. Please note that any petitions filed during the current round of desired future condition adoption may be filed with a groundwater conservation district.